#352: Bouquet in a Bush
A mystery outside the window
Lockdown, lockdown, lockdown. Each day in the same place, little variety. Such an existence leads to the small becoming big, the tiny incidents becoming a moment of wonder, or contemplation, or just plain curiosity. This week’s incident? A bouquet of flowers appearing outside my window.
Just sitting there, in a bush, were the flowers. Where had they come from? Why wasn’t I looking out my window when it happened? I’d been home all day, yet I missed the moment when this object was placed in such a random place. In some ways, it’s fitting: the cut flowers have been returned to growing plants, albeit of a different variety.
Of course, I had to go and investigate. It’s not often that an intriguing incidental object comes to me. On closer inspection, there was no note I could find, no sign to be found. The only thing I discovered was that it was in fact two bouquets, likely bought from the Sainsbury’s around the corner. Had they been dropped, then placed here by someone else? But I couldn’t imagine dropping two bouquets and not noticing. Were they a surprise, but the note was hidden, or forgotten?
I left them in the bush, and returned to my flat. But I continued to watch the object from the window, witnessing how it could draw the interest of passers by. Some looked at it, but seemed to not want to be caught looking; some, as they walked past, kept their head turned towards it, as though they wanted to see it do something more, but only in the time it takes to walk past. Others ignored it, or didn’t even notice it (one can’t tell); and a few walked over to examine it, though never touching it (we are living in a pandemic after all), before soon walking off, having seen nothing else remarkable about the object apart from its positioning.
As I sat watching, I wondered how long I could leave it before I could claim the colourful bouquet. I decided on leaving it for a day — and the next morning, it was still there. But just a few hours later, before I could go out and claim it, the bouquet had disappeared. And then I was left wondering, and I am still wondering: did the person who took it know where it had come from? Was there some secret message I had missed? Or did they just wait for a shorter time before making a claim?
I missed the bouquet’s curious appearance, and it’s disappearance. Whatever the story behind this mystery, I hope the colours brighten the new owner’s days — they certainly brightened mine. And now I sit and await for the next small yet intriguing object to enliven my lockdown life.
